About Pipelines
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Crossing Bodies
of Water
How does the industry
protect Canada’s
rivers, streams
and lakes during
a pipeline crossing?
1
KEY FACTORS
An ecosystem
to protect
2
THE HABITAT
water
THE ENVIRONMENT
terrain and soils
THE AREA
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fish
••
surface water
••
••
wildlife
••
ground water
••
vegetation
••
Canada is home to over
8,500 rivers and two million
lakes, and they cover
approximately nine per cent
of our country’s landscape*.
With that many bodies of
water, pipelines may need
to cross them to transport
the oil and gas Canadians
use in their daily lives.
Keeping our lakes and rivers
protected during these crossings is
important to Canadians, and it’s a priority
for pipeline operators.
When pipelines cross rivers, streams,
lakes and other bodies of water (known as
watercourses), operators take special care
to protect the area during all stages of the
pipeline’s life cycle – from planning, construction
and operations to maintenance and retirement.
Each phase of the cycle is closely monitored
by regulators, and the industry uses established
practices and procedures for water crossings to
preserve, wildlife, vegetation and water quality.
About Pipelines is a series,
dedicated to sharing the
facts about transmission
pipelines in Canada and
their role in Canadians’ lives.
This information is provided
by the Canadian Energy
Pipeline Association (CEPA).
3
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water movement,
distribution
and quality
No.
06
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air quality and noise
land use, including
traditional land use
historical or
heritage site
DESIGNED
FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT
Pipelines
installed in
water are
designed to
have thicker
walls and
special coatings.
Letting nature
take its course
Many animals and fish
rely on bodies of water
for their home and
food, which is why
pipeline operators
follow strict practices
to avoid disrupting
species and plant life,
including times when:
••
Before the crossing
Pipeline companies carry out expert
environmental and technical assessments
before finalizing a pipeline route or beginning
construction.
One of the most important considerations
is choosing the best location for the pipeline
to cross. It’s critical the selected route maintains
the stability and quality of the pipeline to protect
the surrounding environment. Soil erosion, the
stability of the slopes and banks, and even the
bends in a river or stream, are just some of the
factors pipeline operators analyze when choosing
the route. Allowing operators to access the
* Environment Canada, Everybody’s Talking About Water bit.ly/1sm57K5
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Fish and/or
their eggs
are present
in the waters
Migratory birds
are breeding
and nesting
The ground
is wet due
to seasonal
conditions,
such as muskeg
or swamp
About Pipelines
Crossing Bodies
of Water
BY DESIGN
Drilling
Innovations
(Trenchless)
pipeline to do maintenance and inspections
is also important.
To choose the most effective, least impactful
route, pipeline operators may have to study the
location of the route for several seasons before
construction begins, especially if the watercourse
has a seasonal flow or there is the potential for
impact on the environment.
During the crossing
Two main methods are used for installing
a pipeline across water: digging a trench or using
trenchless methods. If the surrounding land and
banks are stable enough, pipeline operators try
to use trenchless methods.
Whichever method is selected, operators
carefully review the potential impacts to wildlife,
vegetation and soil and try to avoid any
disruption during construction. This includes
reviewing the environmental risk, considering
alternative crossing methods and meeting
with landowners and the local stakeholders
to understand any additional risks.
The installation of a pipeline in a body
of water is carefully monitored to maintain
the surrounding environment. For instance,
operators must minimize the use of equipment
within the perimeter of crossing so as to avoid
transferring noxious weeds or invasive plant
species into the area.
Protecting the crossing
HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL
DRILLING is one trenchless
method the industry uses.
It involves drilling a path
underneath a river or other
obstacle (like a road) and
basically threading the pipeline
underneath. This method
eliminates the need
Read the blog post:
bit.ly/1v9THKs
For major bodies of water, such as a lake,
operators also use block valves (which stop the
flow of the product in the pipeline) on either
side of the water crossing to reduce the risk
of an accidental leak or spill.
Like all pipelines in Canada, pipelines going
through water are constantly monitored, and
if there is a change in pressure in the pipeline,
specialized leak detection systems immediately
trigger alarms notifying the operator.
To be prepared for the rare case of an
incident, pipeline operators have fully
implemented Emergency Management Plans.
That includes making sure emergency response
personnel and equipment are at locations along
the pipeline route. And local emergency
responders receive special training on
responding to spills in or around a body of water.
Protecting the crossing also means the
surrounding area will be returned to the same
state as before the pipeline was installed.
Pipeline operators use many techniques
to reduce and eliminate the pipeline’s footprint
in these areas, and bring the site back
to its natural condition – from using special
reclamation practices to prevent erosion
to the banks, to re-establishing and
enhancing the fish population.
aboutpipelines.com/en/environmental-protection/water/
For pipelines crossing bodies of water, operators
use thicker pipe walls, special pipeline coatings,
and in some cases, special cables, bolts and
weights to secure the pipeline.
for equipment to enter the
water, unlike trenched methods
of installation. This means that
fish habitats are not disturbed
and there’s no effect on the
stability of the river bank.
Printed on recycled and environmentally-friendly paper. The information contained provides examples of initiatives
carried out by some CEPA members. It is not an industry requirement or best practice.
Have water
questions?
Get answers.
The Life Cycle of
Watercourse Crossings
in Canada, is a
publication produced
by a number of
government bodies and
industry associations,
including CEPA,
to provide answers
to the many questions
about pipelines crossing
bodies of water.
View the publication:
bit.ly/1DakIzR
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